


Impossible Standards

by deathbysandblk



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Gen, i ship anderperry but this particular fic focuses more on their friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:07:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathbysandblk/pseuds/deathbysandblk
Summary: Todd is upset and Neil tries to comfort him





	Impossible Standards

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this. It's just a little oneshot that came to mind.

It had been a long day for Neil. He had gotten up early that day for classes, of course, and then he had to rush over to rehearsal. The play was really starting to come together and he loved being a part of it, he really did, but he was a little relieved when rehearsal was over for he was very tired and just really wanted to go right to sleep. 

He walked into his and Todd’s room half-expecting Todd to already be asleep, but he was not. Neil smiled at Todd, greeted him, and started getting ready for bed. Todd, however, didn’t really respond to him. He just grunted in response. 

This was very unusual behavior for Todd. Usually the two of them sat up until way late into the night, talking about anything and everything. Usually his return home was met with Todd eagerly waiting to tell him about something he had read, or something Charlie had done at dinner, and of course, it wasn’t owed to him or anything like that, but still Neil knew something was up with Todd. 

“...Todd? Is everything alright?”

“I’m never enough.”

“Why do you say that, Todd? Did something happen?”

“It’s just the truth, Neil.”

At this, Neil sat beside Todd on his bed. 

“Todd, please talk to me. Tell me why you’re saying these things.”

Todd looked like he was a little hesistant to tell him, but then he sighed and began talking again,

“You know how I struggle with Trig, right?”

Neil nodded, signalling him to continue.

“Well, this past test, the one we just took, I studied so hard for it. I had anxiety so badly and when it was over and done with, I felt so much relief wash over me. We just got the results back and I got an 89.”

Neil smiled, “Congratulations, Todd! I am so proud of you!” He paused, thinking, and then said, “There’s more to this story, isn’t there?”

Todd nodded again and said, 

“I called my parents to tell them. I was really proud of myself and I wanted them to know. Do you know what they said to me?”

Neil shook his head. 

“They said that that was nothing to be proud of and to call them when I actually got a good grade.”

Neil’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“That’s not all, though. They started talking about Jeffrey and how Trig was one of his strongest subjects and why couldn’t I be more like him and how maybe if I kept my head out of those ‘damn books I’m always reading’, I would have done better.” At this point in his rant, Todd broke down sobbing and Neil tried his best to comfort him.

“Todd, can you look at me, please?”

Todd did as Neil requested and looked at him. 

Neil spoke, looking directly at him. 

“Your parents are wrong. All your effort and time that you spent studying did pay off for you. An 89 is a wonderful grade, especially since you struggle with the subject so much. If they can’t see that, then they are foolish. As for the constant Jeffrey comparisons, they need to realize that you are not your brother. You have your own strengths, and sometimes your own weaknesses, and your own ambitions.”

“Jeffrey has no weaknesses according to them,” said Todd.

“Well I don’t know Jeffrey, but it seems to me his weakness was not getting to know his little brother very well. By spending all that time trying to impress your parents, he missed out on a wonderful person.”

At this, Todd smiled. “Thank you, Neil. You somehow always know the right thing to say to me.”

Todd went to bed that night feeling a little less like a disappointment and failure and a little more grateful to have Neil as his roommate.


End file.
